I really don't think there is much to do in Pohang. If you are a drinker (which I am not), there are a handful of expat bars and a plethora of local bars. But if you are into cultural things, style/shopping, music, etc., Pohang is not the place for you. I take off every weekend to Busan, Daegu, or Seoul. Also, the expat crew here is not the best-looking group. Just sayin'...

Thank you for your swift responses. Since some folks asked questions, I will try to address them.

After that necessity, I am looking for new experiences -- I lived in Seoul and loved it, as I like big cities...but the bustle and noise and constant feeling of being crowded wore on me by the end of my second consecutive year...decided to try something different.

I mean, are you done with teaching in KOREA, or just with teaching in Pohang? Is it the whole ESL market with which you are disillusioned, or do you just want to do it in a bigger city? Is it just a geographic thing, or were there certain attitudes you encountered that made you want to live elsewhere?

Yes, I have accepted the position -- I am not trying to decide if I should go, I am trying to prepare for what I will find. Even if it IS bad, I doubt it will be the worst place I have ever lived

To give an example of the kind of info I am looking for in a response, here is a little of my own experience. I lived in Apkujeong in Seoul, which is supposed to be the "best" part of Seoul, or at least in the top 3 areas...travel was very convenient, as it was pretty centrally located, foreigners were pretty common, so there was little of the "stop and point" going on, and living in Apkujeong seemed to make me more respectable to some Koreans I met. Definite plusses for me. Cost of living was pretty high, though, as were entertainment costs. There was more than the usual high level of brand sensitivity in the area, with even MORE attention to appearance than I have seen elsewhere in Korea -- and as an average-ish (5'10" 180 pound American male) fellow, this focus on appearance ended up being a bit more annoying than I would have thought. When I had worked elsewhere in Korea, I was told I was fat maybe 5 times throughout the year...in Apkujeong I heard it several times a day from "well-meaning" people -- some of whom I just met. Their comments were along the lines of "you would be so handsome if you just lost some weight...."

Love reading about those fat comments. Got that 5 years ago in the countryside. Almost got a complex over it. Got in better shape. Now, a lot of Koreans are getting fatter and chubbier. Sure has changed a lot over 10 years. Interesting what you wrote though. (Got directed here from a newer more recent posting. Not recessitating an outdated blog on purpose.)

Even though this is a sticky, I am re-posting to say hey to the current folks in Pohang....

I've been back in the US for 15 months, and I am returning AGAIN to Pohang within the next couple of months...I TRIED to find a better school in the US, and for what I am looking for, I couldn't. I got plenty of offers, but they wanted me to come in at step 1 to step 5, MA + 30. I did that or better in Pohang, so back I come...old school, old boss, old job, new co-workers, new folks in the area....

...so if anyone is dying to hang out with a sarcastic, overweight, middle-aged guy who always buys his round first (and really, who WOULDN'T want to hang wit' dat?), just holla....